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The Happening (song)
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Wikipedia article
"'The Happening'" is a 1967 song recorded by Motown artists The Supremes. It served as the theme song of the 1967 Columbia Pictures film 'The Happening', and was released as a single by Motown at the time of the film's release that spring. While the movie flopped, the song peaked at number 1 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 pop singles chart in May, becoming The Supremes' tenth number 1 single in the United States,Bronson, Fred: 'The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits', page 223. Billboard Books, 2003. peaking in the top 10 on the UK Singles Chart at number 6, and in the top 5 in the Australian Pop Chart and in the Dutch Pop Chart.
History
Produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier, and written by HollandDozierHolland and Frank De Vol ('The Happening's' musical director), "The Happening" was the final single issued by The Supremes under that name. Between the release of "The Happening" and the next Supremes single, "Reflections," the group's billing changed to 'Diana Ross & the Supremes', and Florence Ballard was replaced with Cindy Birdsong of Patti LaBelle & the Blue Belles.
It was widely believed the instrumental track was recorded in Los Angeles using members of the Wrecking Crew, particularly drummer Hal Blaine; however, Motown session logs indicate both the track used in the film recorded in February 1967 and the single version recorded in March 1967 were cut in Detroit using the Funk Brothers.
Ballard's final of the 17 appearances The Supremes made on the hit CBS variety television program 'The Ed Sullivan Show'
was on an episode where she performed this song live from Expo 67 in Montral on Sunday, May 7, 1967, going to number 1 the same week.
'Billboard' described the single as being "in the good-time rhythm music bag" as "the trio changes pace with this
classy performance of the new film theme." 'Cash Box' called the single a "light, bouncy, up-tempo, romp" that is a "sure fire chart topper."
Lyrics
The selection's lyrics do not specify exactly what "the happening" is, although the implication is the singer has been abandoned in a love relationship. The singer says she was "sure, I felt secure" and "I was riding high on top of the world". But something happens that is negative and it leaves the individual narrating the selection in worse shape, than before it "just happened".
The event brings the singer back to reality, seeing "life for what it is. It's not a dream, it's not all bliss". The lyrics also warn that what happened to her, "it" can happen to you. Despite the negative experience, "The Happening" is sung in a happy, upbeat style.
Personnel
*Lead vocals by Diana Ross
*Background vocals by Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson
*Instrumentation by the Funk Brothers
**James Jamerson bass
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Other versions
"The Happening" was an instrumental hit for Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass in 1967 making number 32 on the Billboard chart.
See also
* List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1967 (U.S.)
References
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